A Smith’s man admitted growing cannabis plants, but told the court this morning that the drugs were for personal use.

Shannon Tucker, 39, pleaded guilty in Magistrates’ Court to a single count of cultivating cannabis plants.

The court heard that at about 10.40am on September 5 last year, officers attended a home on Broken Hill Lane, Smith’s. While there, an officer noticed a car pull up with two people, Tucker and a woman identified as his girlfriend.

As the officers looked on, Tucker got out of the car and went into the house. He then came out holding a styrofoam box containing several small plants. The officers approached Tucker, who upon seeing the Police began to crush the plants with his hands.

Tucker was arrested and later admitted growing the plants, but insisted that they were for his personal use and that his girlfriend knew nothing about them.

A total of three plants were recovered, each about 5in in height. Tests confirmed the plants represented 2.36g of cannabis.

Appearing in Magistrates’ Court, Tucker said that he had not intended on cultivating the plant, but that he had thrown seeds from cannabis that he had purchased for smoking into a potted plant and they had sprouted. He only then decided to grow them for smoking.

The court heard the maximum penalty for cultivating cannabis is a period of ten years in prison, but given the facts of the case prosecutor Susan Mulligan said a fine would be more appropriate. Tucker, meanwhile, requested that the matter be sent to Drug Treatment Court.

Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo ordered that a social inquiry report and a drug evaluation be carried out on Tucker before sentencing, releasing him on $1,000 bail until then.